Ole Miss men’s basketball drops fifth straight in 82-73 loss to No. 21 Auburn
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss men’s basketball squad dropped its fifth straight game Tuesday night in an 82-73 loss to the No. 21 Auburn Tigers at the SJB Pavilion in Oxford.
The game was the first time the Rebels have scored 70+ points since December 10th against Valparaiso, but it was not enough to overcome a 49% shooting performance from the Tigers.
The Rebels were leading by one at the half, but a 48-point second half from Auburn put the Rebels away for good.
“Offensively, I thought we played good enough. Our defense let us down.”
Head coach Kermit Davis
The offense was most definitely the high point for Davis’ squad Tuesday night as it posted a 44% shooting percentage, including 36% (9-25) from the three-point line. The offense was led by junior guard Matthew Murrell, who posted a game-high 23 points.
“I was really impressed with Matt tonight,” Davis said. “I thought Matt, overall, just played one of his best games.”
Murrell was not only important in the scoring column. He grabbed a team-high six rebounds and dished out a team-high four assists. The two other Rebels in double-figures were guard Tye Fagan (13 points) and forward Jaemyn Brakefield (12 points).
The defensive breakdowns were what lost the game for the Rebels, but Davis attributed the breakdowns to Auburn’s ability to make tough shots.
“I thought those guys [Auburn] made some terrific one-on-one plays tonight,” Davis said. “Give Auburn credit.”
Even with the offensive success for the Rebels, the team still found itself behind in points in the paint (46-26) and points off turnovers (13-9). The Tigers also outrebounded the Rebels, 38-28.
Guard Daeshun Ruffin’s return was highly anticipated for Davis’ development of his point guards, but he said that the point guard play across the board has not been good or consistent.
“We are struggling right now at the point guard. We thought we would be further along. All we can do is just keep working.”
Coach Kermit Davis
The three guards Davis mentioned, Ruffin, Amaree Abram, and TJ Caldwell, combined for 12 points on 4-13 shooting and two assists against the Tigers.
When asked about his team’s mental state during this 0-4 start to SEC play, Davis said that he is not worried.
“We need to win a game. Everybody needs to win. It makes everything feel good. We just need to win and get that feeling.”
Coach Kermit Davis
Up Next
The Rebels (8-8, 0-4 SEC) will look to get back on the winning track this Saturday (Jan. 14) at home against the Georgia Bulldogs. Tipoff at the SJB Pavilion is set for 12 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Trevor Terminie
Trevor is a senior at Ole Miss pursuing a degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Sports Communication and Promotion. He has previous experience covering sports for another site, including a variety of Ole Miss sports. Growing up in New Orleans, La., he has the Pelicans and Saints running through his blood. He also grew up in an LSU family, but his love for Ole Miss continues to grow. Trevor hopes to cover sports back in his hometown after college. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
